


I Know What it's like to Feel Burnt Out

by PoorUnfortunateSoul



Series: OiHina Week 2016 [7]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-08
Updated: 2016-07-08
Packaged: 2018-07-22 07:15:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 605
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7425184
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoorUnfortunateSoul/pseuds/PoorUnfortunateSoul
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Hello,” Hinata says, lacking the usual enthusiasm. “I suck at volleyball.”</p><p>Oikawa blinks. “What?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Know What it's like to Feel Burnt Out

   Oikawa doesn’t know what to do. It was the first time he’d ever felt out of his element when it came to comforting people. Normally, it only took him a few seconds to assess what the other person needed, whether it was a quick hug, a long one, some comforting words, a swift pat on the back… but this proved to be a challenge.

 

     In his defense, he’d never seen his sunny little boyfriend sad. He’d seen him frustrated, and dealt with him when he was snappy (Oikawa never asked him to stay up with him when his insomnia kicked in again; now, he just counts his breaths, like the sheep counting method his mother had taught him, but better) and he’d seen him in need of affection and cuddles, right now immediately, this very moment, Oikawa, _I swear to God_ –

 

     But never sad. He didn’t know Hinata was even capable of it, but here he was, laying on the couch and staring at the TV. It wasn’t on.

 

     Oikawa walked into the room, trying to keep his steps light, running through a way to get Hinata to talk through his mind. However, it didn’t seem to be needed, and his boyfriend sat up at the sound of his footsteps and forced him to sit next to him.

 

     “Hello, Chibi-Chan,” he says carefully.

 

     Hinata slumps over into Oikawa’s lap, curling his small body up almost enough to fit only on him. The only thing touching the couch still is his feet and the top of his head hangs over the edge of his thigh.

 

     “Hello,” Hinata says, lacking the usual enthusiasm. “I suck at volleyball.”

                           

     Oikawa blinks. “What?”

 

     “I suck at volleyball. Everyone seems to be getting better but me. I mean, I was for a while, but then I just sort of… stopped.”

 

     Getting Hinata to talk was… a lot easier than he thought it would be, actually. Apparently he wasn’t one to worry about bothering the person he was talking to, or maybe he knew how much Oikawa thinks he’s worth. (The galaxy and everything in it, if someone ever asked)

 

     Oikawa is glad; getting Iwaizumi to talk about what was bothering him was always a chore.

 

     “You feel like you’ve a wall,” Oikawa says.

    

     It’s a statement and not a question, but Hinata nods anyways. Oikawa nods back, resting his hand on his boyfriend’s cheek and stroking his nose with his thumb.

 

     “You’re watching everyone else succeed, and you stack their success against yours, and suddenly everything you’ve done look so small in comparison.”

 

     Hinata nods again, eyes wide; shocked to find his thoughts put into words.

 

     Oikawa sighs, “It’s going to be an uphill battle, Chibi-Chan. No matter what I say, finding your own self-worth is something you have to do on your own; I can’t force you to feel confident. I’ll tell you this, though: you can’t stack your successes against others. You’re separate people, and you’re all going to grow at your own pace. They might get there before you, sure, but you’ll get there one day, too.”

 

     Hinata stares at his boyfriend in wonderment.

 

     “Gwah!! Oikawa you always know what to say! How did you know all that stuff?”

 

     Oikawa shrugs. “I’ve been there.”

 

     Hinata tilts his head and says, “You have?”

 

     The setter nods. “Everyone has, Hinata. At some point or another, everyone gets stuck. Writers get writers block, artists lose their muse, and athletes feel like they’ve stopped improving. It’s a part of growing. You’ll get over it, eventually; the key is to not to lose your passion.”

 

     “I won’t!” Hinata vows.   


     Oikawa smiles. “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> I MADE IT ALL WEEK AND I WASN'T LATE ONCE


End file.
